1/25/2012 "Born Unto Darkness" The instrumental Ambient version of Diminishment is released, with reviews comming in from the states and Hungary, along with radioplay this album is available through many distros as mp3s,(CDbaby, Napster, Amazon, Tradebit, GreatIndieMusic, Zune, Itunes, Emusic, Medianet, Deezer, Nokia Music and more to follow!) also a highly limited edition of cds only 100! will be released through cdbaby.com. in several weeks. NOTE: This is a one time deal for this kinda release, Diminishment will be returning with their 3rd album a more visceral Grave work of darkness in Echelon 666 next year!
1/25/2012 #1 question, will "Echelon 666" bear any semblance to "Born Unto Darkness" You will hear some similarities ais Born Unto Darkness, as it originaly was it, but there will be so many more changes that only a few riffs may sound similiar, in a sense Echelon 666 is the Head on the coin, where as Born Unto Darkness is the Tails, either way it will get you across the river Styx. Besides dont you ussually hear the echoes reverberating first before you hear the full onslaught of the music when you actually arriv eoutside the venue; then it is a full onslaught when your in front of the stage when you get in. You go from obscure to clarity, the only difference is our venue is hell.
Interim Album Announcement
Postponement
In recent Months I cathaoir have been having lots of bloodwork, a severe infection, oral surgery and on Tichondrius status, he had an accident involving a pipe saw, and injured his back while working as well, thus we have been trying to get back to our 100%, all that is left is bass and vocals, we already know what were going to do for the mastering, the artwork and all of that. Rest assured we will be continuing and Echelon 666 shall be released, so far its atmospheric, eiree, moments of shredding, frantic solos, fast paced drums, imagine early bathory type of sound and musicaly like a cross between Emperor and Dark Funeral blended through currents of the river Styx.
Metal Underground Interview With Ipsissimus
http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=68377&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
and kudos to my vocalist for the Diminishment mention
New Merch
Now Available Diminishment Vinyl Stickers, t shirts, and we still have a very limited amount of "Brimstone Demise cds' once they sell out only mp3s will be available for purchase.
CD's available through:
http://www.cdbaby.com/diminishment
All other media
diminishment@gmail.com
Ipsissimus Way of Descent on sale soon
Ipsissimus Way of Descent on sale soon, the debut album on Metal Blade Records, featuring Diminishment's Vocalist/bassist Tichondrius
www.metalblade.com
Cathaoir Involved in Car Accident
Cathaoir while driving home from work winter morning was struck ie side swiped by a CT Transit bus, he's expected to make a full recover in a month.
Evolution in Hell's Embrace
Update:
Studio been upgraded;(added a new controller, new synth, digital eq, db meters, sd recorders, a 12 string acoutic, 6 string acoustic, 6 string classical, numerous software plugins, metronome) Cathaoir added a new Custom Agile V, to his guitar Arsenal as well as a Morley Countour Wah, MXR Phase, and Eventide Pitchfactor.
Echelon 666 update:
We have been having alot of changes in our lives with work schedules, Tichondrius' Metal Blade necessities, shows, and we have finaly gotten into a practice routine, a premix before the bass and vocals are being finished, and we may play show(s) in the new year as well. Time will tell.
statement from Cathaoir:
"It's been a long process but we have let the album naturally evolve during this year and its a new plateau of Diminishment's Music. Relentless, Dark, Obscure and Lyriccaly powerfall, it will be a tale lending to the oblivion of hope itself."
At this time the album is T.B.A. 2011
Tichondrius' Ipsissimus signs to Metal Blade
I cathaoir am with honour to annouce that Tichondrius' black metal band IPSISSIMUS is now part of the Metal Blade Records Artist Roster!
I have personally worked with the band mastering several releases including the famed 3 secrets of Fatima EP which was also mixed by the legendary Jeff Weed, and may also do a website for the band. I am also quite happy that Jeff and I's combined audio skills made a very unique and inspiring release when combined by the talents of Ipsissimus. This audio experience has also been brought to the media's attention in several well known magazines.
IPSISSIMUS is:
Tichondrius: Bass / Vocals
Haimatokharmes: Drums
His Emissary: Guitar
About the band:
IPSISSIMUS was founded when His Emissary (guitars) and Haimatokharmes (drums) met by providence on 6/6/06 in New Haven, CT, and found in one another worthy vessels of channeling the occult philosophies into ritual Black Metal. In November of that year, Tichondrius (bass/vocals) completed the trinity. Within a month they were playing concerts and released the demo Trampling the Host, a potent exercise in raw, blasting Black Metal. Over the following years, they established a reputation across New England for technical yet raw live performances, sharing the stage with both local and established Black Metal groups, such as Nachtmystium, Enslaved, Dark Funeral, Krallice, and Watain. In February 2008, IPSISSIMUS independently released the Three Secrets of Fatima EP, a complex and melodic triptych that thrust them to the forefront of the burgeoning American Black Metal scene. In June, IPSISSIMUS played the Three Secrets of Fatima EP start to finish to a very enthusiastic crowd when the band opened up for legendary EYEHATEGOD and Nachtmystium. Matching their music to orations of black piety that draw from esoteric traditions antique and modern, often composed in the dead tongues of the ancients themselves, IPSISSIMUS initiates the listener to a Left-Hand Gnosis with a unique and irrefutable statement of American Black Metal.
http://www.myspace.com/ipsissimususbm
http://www.facebook.com/ipsissimususbm
Raw Underground True Black Metal
##FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE##
The Legion Of TchorT” Compilation – WebZine - Radio Samples more of 200 Bands. That send to more of 45,000 Headbangers. If you like the song, please contact with the bands for Buy your original CD and Merchandise.
This compilation is launched! Editions goes out in Sweden, Usa, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Italy, Brasil, Colombia, Venezuela, Uk, México... and more countries for Spread your Music . Also In Radios, Magazines, Webzines and more.
!Let's kill The Rip Off! ! !Not Ghost Zines! !Not Posers! ! Only Support The Metal Underground !
Compilation # 10 The Legion Of TchorT
Aasverus - Intro - Beginning (Brasil) (3:18)
Elderhead - Hevn Av Presten Impaler (Usa) (3:58)
Airlines Of Terror - Carpet of Larvas (Italy) (2:43)
Verdelt - Sword Silver Shining (Finland) (3:10)
Sonneillon - Into the Unknown (Poland) (4:26)
Diabolical Demon Director - Funeral hearse (Australia) (3:58)
Diminishment - Mallus Ater (Usa) (5:08)Damnatur - Valkoisen kynttilän himmenevä hehku (Finland) (3:39)
Warcrown - Corpskill (Germany) (2:46)
Existence - Dark Forces (France) (3:49)
Khashm - Flames of Death (Russia) (5:12)
Netharious - Under The Satan Sun (Usa) (4:16)
Cryphtex - Oblivion (Italy) (2:42)
Sombras Nefastas - Clamor de Sangue (Brasil) (2:58)
Coprolith - Death Only (Finland) (2:22)
Illness - Devilish Stigmata (Poland) (3:37)
Monday With A Bullet - Reagan (Usa) (3:00)
Infernal Scourge - The Frozen 25th Hour (Usa) (5:17)
Plague Anthem - Darkness Breeds Immortality (France) (3:40)
Winterblood - Massengrab (Germany) (5:12)
Valkyrian - Rain around (Italy) (4:26)
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/leo_tchort
OFFICIAL BLOG: http://thelegionoftchortzine.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/TchorTLeo
Pest Webzine Interview of Cathaoir
Pest Webzine Interview of Cathaoir
Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
DIMINISHMENT was formed in mid 2008 in the Tri-state Area USA, as a 4 piece consisting of: Heretic on Death Vocals (Earlier in Noktorn, Angelus Infernus, Phasmatis, What Weapons Bring War whom Released Ep and Albums on Ferox, UK, Ancient Records, USA.) Ixion on Black Metal Vocals (earlier in NatterVrede as Vocalist which released several EP’s, and albums in US, and compilation on Soyuz Records, Russia.) Cathaoir on Guitars (Earlier in Noktorn, Phasmatis, NatterVrede as guitarist whom released Eps, Albums on Ferox Inc, UK, Ancient Records USA, and Soyuz Records Russia.) Tichondrius on Vocals and Bass. (earlier as Bassist/ Vocalist in Tyrant, Ipsissimus whom released Eps, and Albums.) ,All whom have received reviews and along with constant radio play worldwide in the underground.
The 4 set forth to the studio to record the debut album entitled "Brimstone Demise." 2 band members being Cathaoir and Tichondrius were left standing in the wake of the recordings. The album was released under Ancient Records USA in 2009 and the retailers being, CDbaby, Itunes, Tradebit, Great Indie Music, Napster and more!
Radio play ensued worldwide among the greats of Manchester England's Autopsy Report, Raven's Eggs and Kegs Radio Show in the states,
The Track "Mallus Ater" was featured on several compilations: "The Legion of Tchort Underground Compilation" in South America, and The Canadian Label of NHR Records "Voices of the Underground 6."
Along with the first official interview through USBMS Europe, Reviews by Black Belle Music in Australia, Metal Monthly in the United States and Obliveon Metal and Gothic Magazine in Germany, among others.
DIMINISHMENT is first and foremost a studio band/project whom currently released their debut album entitled "Brimstone Demise.” in 2009. The 2nd album "Echelon 666" is tentatively to be released early 2011.
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Our style falls under Black Metal, Extreme Music, the nuances also hit ambient and at times experimental areas as well. As for bands that have influenced us, I would say we actually listen to little music at all during the times we create our nocturnal art so to speak, but if we have to really think of it; Emperor, Bathory, Venom
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
Well we do not follow and set way to do music, we created quite an original style within the black metal genre (if we do say so our self, and we do). The music creates an uneasy feeling of rampant chaos barely held together, and cause of this it will fit in just about any where on your extreme music play lists, we kinda give a break in the stagnation that occurs due to an lack of originality.
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
This is our first band Working together (Tichondrius and I (Cathaoir). So this is our first album which is entitled "Brimstone Demise. Which we released in mid 2009 " We are also working on our 2nd album as we speak which will is entitled "Echelon 666." Which will be tentatively released early 2011.
Prior to these, We have both had around 6-12 releases each in several genres over the last 15 years: Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash, Doom.Under Band Names of Phasmatis, Noktorn, NatterVrede (Cathaoir) and Tyrant, Ipsissimus, Sea of Bones (Tichondrius).
With this new Incarnation of Diminishment, the first album of "Brimstone Demise" Recieved good feedback from such media as Black Belle (Australia), Michael's Metal Monthly (USA), Obliveon (germany) among other zines were quite favorable, even radio play on Raven's Eggs n Kegs in the USA, The Autopsy Report in England and several more, including an interview with USBMS Europe; but all and all quite positive feedback. We also have been asked and contributed tracks to The Legion of Tchort World Wide Metal Compilation (South America), and NHR Records'Voices of the Underground Volume 6 (Canada)
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
At this time we do studio work alone, in the near future we may have a live lineup for touring purposes.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
We always do what is right by us regardless of consequences. We have been quite active in the Extreme music Scene for over 10 years, and will never change for anyone. In past shows we have had a riot break out, been kicked out due to actual religious protesters, and quite frankly when it comes to fans, friends etc your either with us or not... it's that simple really. We never got into this for money or fame or anything other than making music that reflected ourselves in the natural sense, our outlook on life is basically "do what thought will" cause to us when its over, any so called heaven or hell or anything that you may experience is simply the rotting out of your body interpreted before the brain finally falls out your skull.
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
More Albums, maybe some shows, hell why not a video for the hell of it.
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
MYSPACE - www.myspace.com/diminishmentband
OUR PERSONAL LABEL SITE - www.ancientrecords.us
MAIN BAND SITE - www.ancientrecords.us/diminishment
SALES WORLDWIDE - www.cdbaby.com/cd/diminishment
July 2010
Origional found at http://www.pestwebzine...ucoz.com/index/diminishment/0-..192
Read more: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=377213785&blogId=537483372#ixzz0ubToKpkE
South American Burnt Offerings!
COMMING SOON!
SOUTH AMERICAN RELEASE (Lima, Peru)
FEATURED BANDS:
Aasverus (Bra)
Airlines Of Terror (Italy)
Coprolith (Finland)
Cryphtex (Italy)
Damnatur (Finland)
Diabolical Demon Director (Australia)
Diminishment (Usa)
Elderhead (Usa)
Existence (France)
Illness (Pol)
Infernal Scourge (Usa)
Khashm (Russia)
Monday With A Bullet (Usa)
Netharious (Usa)
Plague Anthene (France)
Sombras Nefastas (Brasil)
Sonneillon (Poland)
Valkyria (Italia)
Verdelt (Finland)
Warcrown (Germany)
Winterblood (Germany)
It's finished and will be out soon, World Wide Black Metal Undergound Compilation.
For more details:
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/leo_tchort
OFFICIAL BLOG: http://thelegionoftchortzine.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/TchorTLeo
100k
Well Been hard at work on the new album, hopefully will have everything but the bass and vocals for half the album done by the end of this month, also we would like to say thanks for all the plays for our first album Brimstone Demise, in black metal and as an independant band we would never have thought that in a little over a year and with our first album, we would get 100,000 plays!! SO thank you very much! If you liked the last album, wait till you hear the 2nd its black metal, its thrashy at times and even ...experimental but all under the main theme of extreme music that is Black Metal
Echelon 666 Happenings
After lengthy upgrades to..well everything, all the drums are done for the album half the guitars for Rhythm and Lead, and some songs rewritten, just need 2 more pieces of equiptment for the guitars and in the near future bass and vocals shall be done, this one will be a long one comming but in the event of this 2nd album's release being pushed till later on this year, it will be well worth it!
Echelon 666 Lyrics
DIMINISHMENT"Echelon 666"
Daemonium Conjury
By Cathaoir
Woe to you in defiance, By my tongue may it get you ,
May you be broken over the masons cliff
the world will be forced into ethereal darkness,
and pagan blood will emerge as a river ,
Evil,death short life, Derangement and madness on the fragile minds,
the curse of curses in sorrow beset,
Scorn disgrace malediction by churches and bells,
Your old frame dead and, lifeless will never a stir.
With none to wake your corpse, your limbs without a shroud!
The lying despoiler, into hell to be tormented,
In the depths of the whirlpool blowing,
twenty-one demons each tearing you asunder,
Where Fire and brimstone never fail to fall,
Your soul to Satan!
May Malphus make you,
I give you to Lucifer,
May Astaroth damn you to the stone of dirges,
to the well of ashes seven miles below hell,
and which they may break your bones.
In hell may you be
I bind you by grave injunctions of magic
from the river, back to the river.
Thy Kingdom Infernal
By Cathaoir
Dies, Ave, glacialis, Conjurio ave deity
Liber, Sanctum ,Glorio anno Pro ephesia ov aeternum
Infernis, Abbatial, Cedo, Blaspheme abyssus
Ave, Requie, Inno a satanae
Dreaded morning star that came amid a night of earth
Thine eyes eternal hate enshrined, thy heart diminished
There is no place for god in my funeral mind of thorns
For there is little of earth for sorrow and fate.
With breath taken away from pale faces
They writhe and burn in a labyrinth deep within tempests.
From unquivering wings, one who dwells in lonely places
Never contemplated things have brought forth eternal shadow.
With ravenous hate my every word
Taught from tomes a forbidden language
In the wild wood I die
Cast me into they kingdom infernal
On later eternal raven years
My spirit flings down the begotten words of hell.
Enshrined in un holy bliss ave des nostrie satanas
Bring forth thy kingdom infernal.
Ars Notoria
By Cathaoir
Black Souls on the path to an endless kingdom
the past of which all is forever mortal
the funeral anthem brings the infinite cold
Under a black horizon,
the celebration of armageddic allegiance
Fools of the past who form weak circles
you seek to gain wisdom and power
under the guise of the conjuror
you seek fortune but only will find infinite death
upon thy old hands of blasphemy
ars notoria
At the witching hour,
an answer to the forbidden calls
the moment of Armageddon is here
the night sky burns forever with darkness
reflected in the deepest waters
the dark arts eternal.
In Eternal Death
By Cathaoir
Spirit that dwellest where
Beyond the tides that boundary life & death
The terrible eternity which we feel
Thy messenger is known to me
But what shadows of spirit?
Too soon ascend thy empire
As in winged blasphemy
the secrecy of knowledge be thy embassy
The immoral ambition,
all destinies cast aside the masons cliff
Stand alone and upon chaotically placed stepping stones
Above all the Gomorrah,
the sovereign that which the world wished to never know
He who strides the diadem left by those left behind thy gates.
Now are thoughts that shall not banish,
Those awaiting their judgment
Mocked by the wraparounds of the beasts curling tails
Thrown asunder into the depths of seven possible hells
The crown under the darkness filled with power and pride
Of no glory the world wishes ever to know.
Silence Accursed
By Cathaoir
Let the rocks of brimstone burnt roar
Loudly and fearfully beneath this sanguine moon
And then man trembled in the solitude of its wake
Fearfully awaiting the waning of the moon
Watching hell itself sit upon its accursed rock of burnt earth
Chorus
Down into the recesses of the moor
Waded afar amongst the wilderness
Under the call of he who drove it in silence
Heed my call and come Behemoth
Tempests gathered under the heavens
Where the winds tormented the seas once calm
And under fallen darkness clouds of torrent forever block heavens path
And thus forth all those who dwelled below the earth
And blackened skies are not called the accursed
Solo
bridge
By the borders of mans feeble will
There is no quiet silence of tormented thoughts
For condemned souls across eternity cannot
Fathom the remembrance of the end of days
And with loss of divinity all is accursed
Chorus
Chorus
Maelstrom
By Cathaoir
Not long ago deadly terror which broken up body and soul
In danger of the furies of the wind,
as desolate as no human imagination can conceive
Whose character of gloom against its ghastly grave
Howling and shrieking forever
Lashing into ungovernable fury
Sending forth to the winds
an appalling voice ever spoken in agony to the heavens
an abyss penetrating unforgiving depths
Pathway behind time and eternity
Blood its avatar and seal
Dominions summoned to his presence
An assembly of phantasms
Fallen upon this spectral image
This grave and corpselike mask
Darkness decay illimitable dominion
Under December s’ snow
Came a dull voice of scorn
Each word burning deed and thought
The eclipse drowning out the stars
The flaming forge of life and death
In life’s oblivion
Cast asunder a chasm whose shadows deep
Conjuring of the Flame (Demonolatry)
By Cathaoir
The crowning of evil,
the miseries and calamities in which our times has fallen,
Fallen to their persistent and over curious temerity.
They set their course from the light into whirlpools of darkest blasphemy
Inducements of man first led astray by demons,
and so falling become the dealers of magick.
Marked by talons as an enduring witness of their servitude
Under the fallacy of perpetuating righteousness.
As witches travel to their nocturnal synagogues
As such journeying are but an empty imagination
Begotten dreams of equal cruelty
Demonolatry their infinite damnation
The transvection of men ,the air by good angels
In times past were calm free from ardors
That which witches transported by demons
If full of pain and weariness,
Run in hailstorms, brooding tempests
Nox Noctis Aeternus
By Cathaoir
Watch me as I fade away into ethereal darkness,
And in hell I shall reign forever, and though I wander still
Prudence, and though I wander amidst streams of forgotten souls,
that not even a hundred miles would suffice,
their judging between appropriate and action a lie.
There upon do I this body bring,
to tell you who I am is to lay words of since in the rain,
As of yet my name makes no great noise,
Though I under many legions rise Rofacole am I.
Justice, An Allegoric Lie,
Let faces of purity be twisted backwards
and since humanity wishes to only look forward,
their faces twisted towards the backward path like gnarled oaks.
Temperance, When the sea is silent,
in awe of the pollution they call light, now a fading dissident.
Courage, Halfway along the path of life,
righteousness, they good always falter into madness,
lay a waste most humankind in ill-gotten suicide.
Born Unto Darkness
By Cathaoir
Instramental
Prepare for Dissection
Well its 2010, were slowly but surely making progress with the album, but hey how about some nostalgia. The Autopsy Report in wonderful Manchester UK is featuring us this Janiary 26th-30th on their radio show. Details below, show some support.
The Autopsy Report Metal Radio Show 25th - 31st January 2010
It couldn't be done, they said. Impossible, they said. A million to one chance, they said. And they were right, so we just did this instead. Tune in to another predictable yet reliable edition of the Autopsy Report. At least you know what you're letting yourselves in for. This week featured artist: DIMINISHMENT
This week's playlist:
Troll - Alt For Satan
Mechanical God Creation - Project Kill
Unleash The Archers - Tied To A Stag
Shredding The Envelope - Standstill And Scream
Shackles - Orgy Of Corpses
Rest In Silence - The Call Of Nemesis
The Devize - Heavens Gate
Serpent Underground - Wish
Coprolith - Other Me
Necrodemon - Brothers in Blood
Condition Black - Bored
Travia - Misery
Angels Of Nightfall - Whisper
Diminishment - Diadem
The Crossing - Genie
Queens of the Stone Age - 3's & 7's
Benediction - The Grand Leveller
Bolt Thrower - War Master
The Autopsy Report website.
www.autopsyreport.co.uk
The Autopsy Report MySpace page.
www.myspace.com/autopsyreport
Last week's show is on line RIGHT NOW at www.myspace.com/autopsyreport
Alternatively you can go to www.viciousenterprises.net and download it.
Cheers,
Gramie
& Here We Go Again
Well it's time again! That's right we've finished writing the second album and have entered the studio for another hellish attempt at the black metal masterwork.
The first genuine Opus "Brimstone Demise" faired well in the underground, recieved good reviews in underground zines like, The Black Belle in Australia, Obliveon in Germany, Michael;s Metal Monthly in the states, and also featured in UK's brilliant Autopsy Report, and the Track Mallus Ater faired well to do on a Canadian Magazine sampler as well as the Legion of Tchort Sampler in South America. There are a few limited hard copies still left at cdbaby.com/diminishment as well as we always have mp3s of the entire album available as well.
So as of today, the drums have been finished, were going for a more mid 90s black metal sound and feeling as opposed to a late 80s sound of the brimstone demise album. should be another work of nocturnal art so stay tuned for updates!
NHR Records Canada Voices of the Underground Compilation
NHR Records Canada Presents Voices of the Underground 6 includes Diminishment's Mallus Ater
NHR Records Canada Presents Voices of the Underground ECD free compilation, thats right its free to download, features over twenty extreme underground bands, including us DIMINISHMENT and our track "Mallus Ater" From our debut album "Brimstone Demise"
Hey check it out, its free and you get one of our fan favorite tracks at no cost! Support the Underground and check this shit out here at
http://www.vftu-magazine.com/
Michael;'s Metal Monthly USA Reviews Diminishment "Brimstone Demise"
Missouri USA
Original Version found here:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=10157833&blogID=513343759
Diminishment review !!!
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Music
Diminishment " Brimstone Demise "
1- Midnight Reverence
2- Mallus Ater
3- Diadem
4- Phasmatis
5- Of Immortality and Spirit Shed
6- Malediction
7- Mournful
8- Praise Death Eternal
Cathaoir: Guitars, Effects, Drums
Tichondrius: Vocals, Bass
www.myspace.com/diminishmentband
Here we have the band Diminishment. And, while this cd is a bit slow to get started, once it gets going its pretty hard to stop the insanity from flowing from your speakers !!! This band uses a broad range of influences from all over the metal spectrum to create what is sure to be one of many classic releases this year. There are hints of Thrash, Progressive, and Classic metal here and it wraps around the main Black Metal ideology rather nicely to create a rather nice addition to a stagnating genre that seems to be churning out one copycat after another. Well, you don't have to worry about that here. Diminishment are 100% original in their presentation and delivery. Lyrics and music aren't just thrown together here. Everything seems to be well thought out and planned in order to get this rather pleasant result. I especially like the style in which the lyrics were writtten. Definitely not run of the mill lyrics and they are even a tad bit on the abstract side. IMO, that just adds to the aura and intensity of the music and the band themselves. The style of riffing here seems to be a bit old school somewhere in the late 80's or early 90's era. This really works for the band. Add to that some semi-technical drumwork and you have a nice little taste of what TRUE METAL is all about. It's hard to pick out a favorite track on this cd as they are all equally as good. If you like bands such as Morbid Angel, Abigor, Behemoth, Emperor, then Diminishment is a band for you. Everything is done to perfection here. There are absolutely no complaints. Contact this band and get a copy of this cd as soon as possible !!!!! If you don't then you're missing out on a damn fine release !!!
Diminishment Interview by USBMS EUROPE
XASTUR: How would you describe Diminishments sound?
CATHAOIR: Enigmatic and Brooding
XASTUR: What influences your music and the subjects of your lyrics? Do you have beliefs or Spiritual leanings which play a part in your music?
CATHAOIR: This is a good one, the music of Diminishment follows a tale basicaly, the tale of the aftermath of a war between heaven and hell, which hell won, light has essentialy ceased to exist for quite sometime and only stories of light or good is all that remains, in its wake eternal damnation, diminishment of all that is good or god, totality in futility, all under eternal diminishment. A near perfect world, a nocturnal eutopia. As for the second part I personaly can attest for some very close feelings for leveyan satanism, but i pull form here or there in the pagan spectrum, Tichdondrius believes in nothing. So when both of these come together it makes for more desolate works, as for the part they play in music, it drives a bit but isnt the coffin nail to our music, The coffin nail is all that we aforemeantioned plus our personal experiences.
XASTUR: Are you influenced by any other bands or musicians Cathaoir? Which bands do you currently listen to? Do you have any old and enduring favourites?
CATHAOIR: Venom, Bathory, Emperor, Dark Funeral, influence my music, I am currently listening to Nokturnal Mortum, Mithras, Emperor, Ruins of Beverast, and the classics of Venom and Bathory.
XASTUR: After the demise of your former band Nattervrede was it always your intention to form a new band? How would you say Diminishment differs from Nattervrede?
CATHAOIR: After NatterVrede ended I wanted to reaffirm some old attributes and move towards a more "organic sound" more true to the old roots, Nattervrede we used tons of compression and large expansive gear setups, while with Diminshment we keep it simpe. Straight forward with a single amp, a mic, a cab and as little compression. And in Diminishment we really try to just let the music develop into its own sound, I guess Nattervrede was a stepping stone in one direction, while Diminishment is more on a personal path to fullfilment of what I always wanted to accomplish sonicaly.
XASTUR: How did you choose the bands name? Does it have any particular meaning or association for you?
CATHAOIR: Diminshment as in the name of band formed right from a talk with Tichondrius on the pondering of existence in which I stated "All we could know is we die then all these delusions of heaven or hell or what have you can very well be the parts of the brain malfunctioning till your brain rots out, then there would be nothing, just everything diminished''; Tichondrius said ''dude thats the most depressing thing I have heard in a long time, I have to be in your band" so thats how it came to be.
XASTUR: What roles do you take in the band?
CATHAOIR: Well I wanted to just focus on lead guitar, but that fell through big time like always...so I do all rhythm, lead guitars, drums (programing), keys for background, then all the mixing mastering, promotion, all that, Tichondrius does all the bass, vocals, and helps with some of the mixing and mastering as well.
XASTUR: Tell me bout the rest of the band Cathaoir. There have been a few line-up changes during the recording of the album. Why was this?
CATHAOIR: Well origionaly it was me on guitars, Tichondrius on bass guitars, but then Ixion my older band mate Heretic from the Phasmatis days in the mid 90's and they both fell through due to one being shipped out to sea in Heretics case, and in Ixion, he was given an ultimatum of either go back to college or live on the streets. so they left the band out of necessity.
XASTUR: How did you come by Tichondrius and has he, like yourself, been involved in any other projects before Diminishment?
CATHAOIR: Tichondrius and I have known each other for over 10 years lol, we were always in different bands doing shows all over the place, but he was in Sea of Bones, Tyrant, Ipsissimus which he still does now amongst several others. Plus we ended up working at the same job for a bit so we were like, hey its about fucking time we did a band together.
XASTUR: The new album 'Brimstone Demise' is now ready to be unleashed. Would you like to talk a little about the tracks? Also tell me about the recording process. A lot of the bands I know record D.I Y. so what is it like working under the rigours of a studio schedule?
CATHAOIR: The tracks I wrote just about all the songs back in 1999, but when I got diagnosed with carpal tunnel I had to hold them to the side and work with what I was capable of doing, Then after time got back up to speed and technical aspects and wrote a few newer ones such as Diadem, and Praise Death Eternal. The tracks lyricaly and musicaly are kinda classical in approach it has buildups, continuity and yet origionaly in each piece which makes interesting and also at the same time of what i would hope be considered a classic piece of black metal music.
The recording we're almost veterans at since we both have about 9 releases each over the last 15 years, But we researched, bought the right gear and it worked out well, we did everything ourselves, and constantly checked up on different approaches and only kept what worked. We wanted a classic sound so we picked up a Universal Audio Channel, kept it clean and just used like an API eq, then added unique items like a Lexicon Vortex, and plugins based on old 1980s hardware like Lexicion 84,42, API 550A,B eqs, and did more towards a vintage tube mastering. All and all I would say rather right on what we wanted. But there is also room for improvement.
Scheduling went without a problem the first 4 months, but then it was whenever we got a chance get as much as possible done cause of work conflicts. But after 8 months we got it all done.
XASTUR: When will the album be available and on which formats? Where will people be able to get a hold of it?
CATHAOIR: We are primarily focusing on the mp3 formats, which the whole album will be available through, Cdbaby.com, amazon.com, Napster, Apple Itunes, Rhapsody, Verizon Vcast and several more to come for the mp3 sales, but to my knowledge will be available in most countries.. as for CD sales we do not have much money to put to it so if we get any we will get a third party sales company maybe we will try blackmetal.com and try to work out some sort of small and I mean small relase of cds but that will be a while from now.
XASTUR: You mentioned problems in the past with tendonitus and carpal tunnel syndrome, obviously disastrous problems for a musician. How did you overcome this? Was there ever a time when you thought your days of performing were over?
CATHAOIR: From the moment I came down with it, it killed a record deal and we were going to tour with Nunslaughter, and a few others back in 2003, The doctors were like yea your never going to play again and I was depressed, I started drinking really heavy like 18 drinks a few nights a week and then I said to myself fuck this I will do this again and started practicing till I could again, but it was rough cause at first, it was like having knives through your forearms and wrists and pulling through your flesh till it came out the fingers. But I dealt with it and here I am and can play pretty okay now.
XASTUR: What are your experiences of playing live? On your profile page it's stated that Diminishment are 'first and foremost a studio band'. Can you see a time when you may want to take the band to the stage?
CATHAOIR: In the past bands both Tichondrius and I have played in and opened with and for Wolves in the Throne Room, Dark Funeral, a ton at New England Metal Festival, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Dimmu Borgir, Enslaved, Decapitated, Hypocrisy, and of course lots of local bands. Live is good but it costs alot to tour and in the United States the scene is few and far inbetween in attendance. With this band just cause of time restraints and committments we're keeping it as being a recording artist, kinda like Darkthrone we write a bunch of music then once a month or so come and work it out and record.
XASTUR: Any last words to close the interview Cathaoir?
CATHAOIR: Never aspire to be like someone else, only be yourself and put yourself and true feelings uninhibited out in your music, that way its personal and no one can take that away from you.
Thank you for the time and consideration for this interview.
Thanks to Cathaoir for taking time out to answer these questions. If you would like to take a listen to Diminishment visit their myspace page at:
www.myspace.com/diminishmentband
Diminishment Brimstone Demise Reviewed in Obliveon
We have been Reviewed in Germany's Obliveon Magazine
Our English Translation:
The founder Cathaoir, the combo with Tichonrdius made new album 2008 entitled Diminishment, Eight pieces of primitive old school black metal becomes 8 snatched up commandments of Metal with scratchy and extremely creshendos of song as well as – and here is established possibly the difference to NatterVrede –some discreet Ambient influences. I shortly want to make it: "Brimstone Demise" contains after my for that non stop of highpoints and is rustled past during the complete running time. Even BM fans of the entirely old school should listen before a purchase sample.
German Version found here:
http://www.obliveon.de/pn-om/modules.php?op=modload&name=tplcdimport&file=index&req=showcontent&id=13964&cfletter=D
